So why did I really develop expertise in the healing and support of cancer patients?
Three weeks ago one of my dearest and most cherished lifelong friends was diagnosed with advanced and terminal cancer, given at most six months to live after an emergency surgery. They opened her up and found her filled with cancer. Her oncologist, with whom I have shared patients for over 30 years, called me to say, Nalini, I have nothing to offer her. There is nothing we can do. Please start to look around in your alternative and integrative cancer network for something outside the box. Her brother, a well known physician, trusted me to guide them.
Since that call I have spent hours and hours in the last few weeks helping her to coordinate her care, getting her to the right physicians, putting her herbs and nutrients and dietary guidelines together, talking to her everyday on the phone. One breath at a time. One heartbeat at a time. She has never left my thoughts or my prayers.
After all of these years of supporting patients with cancer along their healing journey, I finally really understand why I have studied so hard for so long and gained so much experience and knowledge…so I could help my dear beloved friend have a chance at decades of life and not just a few months. So she can see her children grow up into adults. So we can laugh and cry together and continue to share our lives, grow old together. It all came together for me. I made phone calls. I reached out to my network. One of my mentors knew about a treatment for her based on new research and as I write this, she is receiving an innovative, experimental and low toxicity treatment that shows real promise. In the next few weeks we will see if it works. In the meantime, in a very short period of time, the recent scan, even before she started this powerful treatment, has already shown some very positive change. There is more than a glimmer of hope.
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